Ignition timing light having a replaceable lamp



May 5, 1953 K. REIFENBERG 2,637,803

IGNIIIoN IIMING LIGHT HAVING A REPLAGEABLE LAMP Filed Aug. 4, 1951Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES gr" E .i 'E' 21.5

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IGNITIN TIMENG LIGHT HAVING A REPLACEABLE LAME Karl Reifenberg, Chicago,Ill., assigner to E. Edelmann & C0., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois This invention relates to an improvement in ignition timinglightsand more particularly to an ignition timing light with areplaceable lamp.

In present ignition timing lights having replaceable lamps, theinstallation of a replacement lamp usually requires the careful wiringof the replacement lamps electrical contactors to the proper electricalleads because the polarity of the leads and lamp contactors must bepreserved if the light is to function properly. The removal of a burnedout lamp and its replacement by a fresh lamp is, therefore, timeconsuming, and the possibility'of making the wrong electricalconnections always exists.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an ignition timinglight with a replaceable lamp, wherein the lamp will be always installedproperly and wherein it isunnecessary to do any Wiring of the lampcontactors to the electrical leads.

Another object of this invention is to provide an ignition timing lightwith a replaceable lamp whose electrical contactors are adapted to beclamped resiliently against another set of electrical contactors of theproper polarity, whereby replacement of a burned out lamp may beaccomplished quickly and properly.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claim annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Figure 1 shows an ignition timing light with the cap and part of thehousing in cross-section to show the arrangement of parts within thehousing.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the lamp and the electrical contactorsmounted within the housing.

Figure 3 is a view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a View taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged cross-section view taken on line 5--5 ofFigure 4l and showing the resilient mounting of the electricalcontactors within the housing.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure l an elongatedcup-shaped housing Ill open at one end thereof. A cap, generallyndicated at l2, is threaded into the open end of the housing to enclosethe lamp mounted therea? ce in. A pair of electrical leads I4 and lliextend through the bottom of housing Il! and are connected inelectrically conductive relation to a pair of electrical contactors i3and 2i! positioned within housing lll. These electrical contactors ISand 2l? iace the open end of the housing and are lined relative to thehousing, in that they cannot be radially displaced within the housing.

A lamp generally indicated at 22 is adapted to be inserted into the openend of the housing and to extend therefrom. rThis lamp 2E is of the neonbulb type which is well known in the art. The lamp 22 comprises a glassbulb 24 which is sealed to a plastic base 26. The plastic base 25 is ofgreater diameter than the glass bulb 2l! for a reason that will bedisclosed hereinafter. A. pair of electrical contactors 28 and 3l] areprovided on the under side of base 26 and are adapted respectively toengage electrical contactors ES and 2d.

In order that the proper polarity of the electrical contactors bepreserved, so that contactor il. will always engage contactor i8 andcontacter .'ili will always engage contactor 2t, a key 32 is formedintegrally within the housing lil and extends longitudinally therein. Akeyway 34 is formed in base 2li and is adapted to register with key S2so as to properly position the contactors 23 and 3l? to respectivelyengage contactors I8 and '2i-l.

A lip tt on cap l?. is provided to engage base 25 so as to clamp the setof contactors 23 and 3@ and the set of contactors it and 28 togetherinto operative engagement. The lip 3B is of slightly greater diameterthan glass bulb 24 and is positioned concentrically therewith but has aninternal diameter smaller than that of the base 2t whereby the lip 36engages the base 26 for the purpose described above.

A shoulder 38 on cap l2 engages the upper end of housing l@ to limit thethreading of the cap l2 into the housing l0. The cap l2 also has a lens39 mounted therein for a purpose of focusing the light of the lamp 22.

To accommodate the clamping of the set of contactors 2t and 3@ againstthe set of contactors la and 2t, one of said sets of contactors isresiliently mounted. In the specific form shown herein, the contactorsI8 and 2li which are mounted in the housing are the resiliently mountedset of cont-actors and are shown in detail in Figure li.

Referring to Figure 5, the leads it and It are each electricallyconnected to a threaded electrically conducting bolt fill. An innersleeve 42 is positioned concentrically of the stem of each bolt 40 andouter sleeves or contactors I8 and 20, are each positionedconcentrically with an inner sleeve 42. A spring 44 is positionedconcentrically of each inner sleeve 42 and between each inner sleeve 42and the associate contactor I8 or 2U. A nut 46 is threaded onto the stemof each bolt 48 and retains the contactors I8 and 28 in position. Thesenuts 46 limit the outward movement of the contactors I8 and 20 under thebias of springs 44.

The resilient contactors I8 and 20 are mounted in a plasticnon-conducting plug 48 which is inserted through the open end of thehousing I0. This plug 48 has a keyway 50 which is adapted to registerwith key 32 for the purpose of positioning contactors I8 and 20 in thepredetermined position where they are adapted to be engaged bycontactors 23 and 38 of the lamp. The movement of the plug 48 into thehousing I0 is limited by a plurality of ribs 52 which are formedintegrally in housing I8 and which engage the lower side of plug 48 asbest shown in Figures 1 and 5.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of thisinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein Without departing from theinvention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claim to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

An ignition timing light comprising an elongated housing open at one endthereof, a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs formed integrallywith said housing extending inwardly from the wall of said housing andspaced from the open end of said housing, a single key integral withsaid housing extending along the inner wall of said housing fromadjacent said ribs to adjacent said open end of the housing, a pluginsertable in the open end of said housing and slidable thereinto untilit engages said ribs, a pair of electrical contactors resilientlymounted on said plug and extending therefrom toward said open end of thehousing, electrical leads connected to said electrical contactors andextending through the other end of said housing, a lamp inserted intothe open end of said housing, said lamp comprising a glass bulb portion,a base portion and a pair of electrical contactors on the under side ofsaid base extending therefrom, said plug and said lamp base each havinga single keyway therein registering with the key in the housing to alignthe electrical contactors in the plug and on the lamp base, a capenclosing the extended glass bulb portion of the lamp and adapted to bethreaded into the open end of said housing, and a lip on said capextending within said housing and engaging the lamp base to force thesets of electrical contactors into operative engagement, saidresiliently mounted pair of contactors in the plug accommodating thecompression theretogether of the pairs of electrical contactors.

KARL REIFENBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,755,166 Cannon Apr. 22, 1930 2,039,214 Eaton Apr. 28, 19362,337,237 Garberding Dec. 21, 1943

